Supply Chain & Merchandising

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores said that by the end of the year it will have invested the equivalent of approximately $756 million to expand its operations in Brazil.

Marcos Samaha, president of Wal-Mart's Brazilian subsidiary, said in a Tuesday statement that 1.2 billion reals ($755 million) will be used to build 80 stores, renovate existing locations and improve logistics.

By Jeff Raber, [email protected]

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. announced that three of its supermarkets have received the Environmental Protection Agency's GreenChill Award.

The regional chain said that the stores, all located in Southern California, earned the Gold Award from the EPA, the second-highest award offered by the agency to businesses that use refrigerants that do not harm the earth's ozone layer.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings on Tuesday announced that its same-store sales for the first quarter fell 3.6%. The retailer forecast a loss for the quarter ended April 30 of $145 million.

Same-store sales decreased 1.6% at Kmart, and 5.2% at Sears in the quarter. Sears Canada projects same-store sales will be down 9.2%.

Hampstead, Md. -- JoS. A. Bank Clothiers is now allowing international customers to place orders on its website. The retailer is now able to deliver website orders to customers in over 90 countries. JoS. A. Bank will utilize a third-party provider, FiftyOne Global Ecommerce (“FiftyOne”), New York City, to facilitate the checkout of the orders and to export and deliver the orders to the international destinations.

NAPERVILLE, Ill.  -- OfficeMax announced that it has been recognized as a JDA Software Group 2011 Real Results Winner for best in demand management. Now in its sixth year, the Real Results Awards recognize companies that have demonstrated business-process excellence and achieved quantifiable benefits through the adoption of industry best practices and use of JDA's industry-leading solutions and services, according to a company press release. OfficeMax was honored at FOCUS 2011, JDA's annual user conference in Orlando, Florida, May 1 to 4.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax has been recognized as a JDA Software Group  2011 Real Results Winner for Best in Demand Management.

Now in its sixth year, the Real Results Awards recognize companies that have demonstrated business-process excellence and achieved quantifiable benefits through the adoption of industry best practices and use of JDA's industry-leading solutions and services. OfficeMax was honored at Focus 2011, JDA's annual user conference in Orlando, Florida, May 1-4, 2011.

New York City -- SuperValu plans to increase the footprint of its value division Save-A-Lot by 160 new stores this year, GlobeSt.com reported.

“This past year we added 92 net Save-A-Lot stores, and this fiscal year we’re looking to add another 160 net stores,” a spokesman said, according to the report.